The present invention generally relates to rifles and sound suppressors therefor. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of producing a rifle having a barrel, a bore within the barrel, and a structure comprising a sound suppressor, wherein the structure is over-molded or over-injected on the barrel so that the barrel and sound suppressor form a single part.
Various silencers and mechanisms to couple the silencer to the barrel of a carbine or pistol are known in the state of the art.
For example, European Patent No 1247057, of 2000, in the name of the company HECKLER & KOCH GMBH is known, which discloses a coupling device to secure a silencer on the barrel of a portable firearm that comprises a fastening for securing the silencer on the barrel of the portable firearm, where the silencer essentially has the form of a tube, with a coupling bracket fitted to the rear end of the silencer, and a barrel mouth that adjusts to the coupling bracket, on which the coupling bracket can be secured, and the barrel mouth presents a non-round configuration, where a supplementary part is installed on the coupling bracket on the side opposite the first and which can rotate with a contra-form complementary to the non-round configuration, so that the supplementary part can be secured to the barrel mouth only in one angular position. The silencer, together with the coupling bracket, is positioned so that it can rotate with respect to the supplementary part, and a blocking device is planed for inclusion, which will immobilize the silencer, together with the coupling bracket on the supplementary part, at a chosen angular position, without it being able to rotate.
The same company also owns European Patent No 1117970 of 2000, which discloses a coupling device for securing a silencer onto the barrel of a portable firearm including a fastening for securing the silencer onto the barrel of the portable firearm with a retention projection, which is positioned on the silencer, and which presents an orifice that centers a contra-projection, which is positioned on the barrel and which presents centered adjustment surfaces that adjust in the orifice, and a pin that can be dismounted for securing the retention projection on the contra-projection, so that the orifice and the adjustment surfaces are positioned centrally in a consecutive fashion in a seating zone, and with which at least one expansion space is provided between the two axial ends of the seating zone.
European Patent 0772758 dated 1995 is also known, in the name of Mr. Bernard Louvat, which discloses a silencer for a clay-pigeon or sports shotgun. It comprises a tubular body that adapts over the barrel(s) of the firearm and has a ring-shaped decompression chamber behind the tubular body, together with a series of internal transversal baffles held in place by separation parts, and includes orifices that allow the lead shot to pass through and wad evacuation. The silencer is adaptable to all calibers of clay-pigeon and sports shotguns and rifles, single or double-barrel, side-by-side or over/under, together with gauge 12 or 14 garden rifles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,299,558 to Karl discloses a gun barrel covered with a layer of plastic to obtain a dent, scuff and scratch resistant gun construction. Karl describes the plastic layer as having noise-proofed characteristics, but is not adapted to suppress noise generated when a gun is fired. U.S. Pat. No. 1,017,003 to Kenney discloses a silencer that is mounted with threads or a detent feature located at or immediately adjacent the muzzle end of a gun barrel. The silencer does not encase any substantial portion of the gun barrel. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,382 to Mason discloses a silencer that is removably attached to the end of a gun barrel. Both Kenney and Mason require the front and rear sights of a gun to be centered each time their sound suppressors are installed on the gun barrel. U.S. Pat. No. 1,111,202 to Westfall discloses a silencer that is threaded onto a gun barrel and uses the annular space between the barrel and silencer casing as a gas chamber to help silence the report.